Oasis

Among Brit-pop outfits that refreshed longstanding British musical customs for contemporary ears, Oasis achieved unmatched staying power. Noel Gallagher's songcraft, which blended influences from the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Jam, the Kinks, T. Rex, the Sex Pistols, the Stone Roses, and above all the Beatles with both reverence and assurance, combined with Liam Gallagher's laconic charisma and cutting stage persona to shake up rock music starting with 1994's Definitely Maybe. Its cocky fusion of psychedelia, glam, and punk swept aside grunge residue and set the band apart from fellow Brit-pop acts through broader, more immediate appeal. That same ability to reach vast audiences showed even more clearly in the chart-shattering impact of 1995's (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which turned anthemic tracks such as the blockbuster "Wonderwall" into staples of rock setlists. Oasis' taste for sweeping statements occasionally veered into overreach, as with 1997's Be Here Now, yet it also pushed them toward unexpected territory after the Brit-pop peak, exploring psychedelic rock and dance elements on 2000's Standing on the Shoulder of Giants and 2002's Heathen Chemistry. Returning to melodic roots and raw rock energy on 2005's Don't Believe the Truth and 2008's Dig Out Your Soul earned some of their strongest critical notices, but by 2009 the friction between the Gallagher brothers had become irreparable. The group split, its catalog boasting eight U.K. number-one albums and eight U.K. number-one singles. Although Noel and Liam's strained dynamic and active solo paths made a reunion appear remote, Oasis prepared a comeback tour three decades after Definitely Maybe first appeared.

Originally called the Rain, the band that became Oasis was assembled in Manchester, England, in 1991 by guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, bassist Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan, and drummer Tony McCarroll. They recruited school friend Liam Gallagher as replacement vocalist; he proposed renaming the group Oasis after spotting an Inspiral Carpets tour poster pinned in his boyhood room that listed Swindon's Oasis Leisure Center. The band played its debut gig in August 1991 alongside Sweet Jesus and the Catchmen. Shortly afterward Liam's brother Noel Gallagher came back from a U.S. stint as roadie for Inspiral Carpets. Having already spent years composing material, Noel recognized the group's promise and signed on as lead guitarist and exclusive songwriter. Under his direction Oasis kept arrangements minimal and volume high, forging a style built for maximum force.

By 1993 the band had sharpened its live act and captured the fittingly titled demo Live Demonstration. During a May 1993 Glasgow performance with Sister Lovers, Creation Records co-founder Alan McGee took notice and extended a contract that the group finalized months later. One demo cut, "Columbia," surfaced that year as a limited promo single and earned BBC Radio 1 rotation. The official debut single, the thunderous "Supersonic," arrived in April 1994 and opened at number 31 on the U.K. Singles Chart. June's "Shakermaker" debuted at number 11, securing an appearance on Top of the Pops. August's soaring "Live Forever" became their first U.K. Top Ten single, later certified triple platinum, and crossed to the U.S. where it became an MTV regular and reached number two on the Alternative Airplay chart.

Crafting the debut album proved arduous. Thin early takes with two producers were salvaged by engineer and co-producer Owen Morris together with engineer Anjali Dutt; their doubling of drums, compression, and other treatments transformed August 1994's Definitely Maybe into a sonic juggernaut. The album opened at number one on the U.K. Album Charts, quickly setting the record for fastest-selling U.K. debut at the time with 100,000 copies moved in its first four days. Hailed for Noel's writing, Liam's magnetic delivery, and its bold attitude, it earned octuple-platinum status in the U.K. and platinum certification in five additional countries including the U.S., Australia, and Japan.

Oasis fever intensified through 1994 as the band moved into larger theaters and watched each single outsell its predecessor. Yet internal strains mounted: the Gallagher brothers avoided joint interviews because they invariably clashed, and Noel briefly exited after a taxing American tour before rejoining and returning to England. Following October's "Cigarettes & Alcohol," which hit number seven in the U.K., December's "Whatever" entered at number three. At the 1995 Brit Awards Oasis claimed Best New Band while Definitely Maybe took Album of the Year and "Live Forever" took Single of the Year.

In April 1995 "Some Might Say," a soaring number featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, gave Oasis their first U.K. chart-topping single and marked the final release with the original lineup; McCarroll was replaced by former Starclub drummer Alan White soon after. The refreshed group headed to Wales' Rockfield Studios in May to begin the follow-up, again with Morris co-producing alongside Noel and shifting emphasis toward anthemic, string-rich ballads over the debut's raw approach.

When (What's the Story) Morning Glory? landed in October 1995 it elevated Oasis to global superstardom. In the U.K. it became the fastest-selling album since Michael Jackson's Bad, logged ten weeks at number one, remained in the top three for seven months, and ranked as the decade's biggest seller. Multi-platinum in the U.K. many times over, it yielded another U.K. number-one single in "Don't Look Back in Anger" plus the number-two hits "Roll with It" and "Wonderwall," the latter an international multi-platinum staple and one of rock's most lasting ballads. In 1996 the album won Best British Album at the Brit Awards (later honored as the greatest British album since 1980 at the 2010 ceremony), while the band collected Best Band and Best Live Band. Stateside, Morning Glory peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and earned quadruple-platinum certification; "Champagne Supernova" and "Wonderwall" both topped the Alternative Songs chart. "Wonderwall" also received Grammy nominations for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards in 1997. Ultimately one of history's biggest sellers, the album topped charts in nine further countries and went platinum or multi-platinum in ten markets overall.

The supporting tour proved correspondingly enormous: despite multiple member walkouts, the band played 103 shows across 1995 and 1996, including two record-breaking Knebworth concerts that remain England's largest outdoor events. Performances at Earl's Court and Maine Road were preserved on the 1996 concert video There and Then. Late that year limited-edition singles box sets from Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory? entered the U.K. Albums Chart at numbers 23 and 24.

Oasis began work on album three during a break from the Morning Glory tour, with Morris joining them in Mustique for demos. Formal sessions opened at Abbey Road in November 1996 but were hampered by press attention, substance issues, and interpersonal friction. The band moved to Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, where Morris and Noel co-produced with the goal of surpassing Morning Glory's grandeur through dense overdubs (one track reportedly contained thirty guitar layers). Arriving in August 1997, Be Here Now debuted at number one on the U.K. Albums Chart and held the fastest-selling U.K. album record until Adele's 25 in 2015. Featuring U.K. number-one singles "D'You Know What I Mean?" and "All Around the World" plus the number-two single "Stand by Me," it reached six-times platinum in the U.K. The album hit number two on the Billboard 200 en route to platinum status, while "D'You Know What I Mean?" and "Don't Go Away" charted on Radio Songs, Active Rock, and Alternative Airplay. Worldwide it topped charts in thirteen countries beyond the U.K. and U.S. and achieved platinum or multi-platinum status in nine others. Yet critical and commercial backlash over its perceived excess limited its longevity compared with earlier releases. Typical infighting soon disrupted the tour, after which the band maintained a lower profile with the 1998 B-sides collection The Masterplan.

By the time Oasis tracked its fourth album in early 1999, shifts were underway. Working with producer Mark "Spike" Stent instead of Morris, the band refreshed its sound with trippy electronics and heavier rock textures. That August Arthurs and McGuigan left and were replaced by Heavy Stereo guitarist Gem Archer and Ride guitarist Andy Bell (who learned bass for the role). Issued on the band's own Big Brother imprint after Creation closed at the end of 1999, February 2000's Standing on the Shoulder of Giants became the first Oasis album to include a Liam-penned song, "Little James." Another U.K. number one, it earned double-platinum certification there while the single "Go Let It Out" also topped the chart. In the U.S. it reached number 24 on the Billboard 200, and though international results varied it still hit number one in Ireland and Italy, double platinum in Spain, and platinum in Japan. The supporting tour suffered injuries and arguments, but the July 2000 Wembley Stadium show was documented on the band's first live album, Familiar to Millions, released later that year.

Throughout 2001 Oasis balanced touring and recording, sharing bills with the Black Crowes and Neil Young while crafting material that mixed Giants' experiments with direct rock. July 2002's Heathen Chemistry further broadened collaborative writing, with contributions from Bell, Archer, and Liam, whose "Songbird" became the first Oasis single written by anyone other than Noel. "Songbird" reached the U.K. top three, as did "Stop Crying Your Heart Out," "Little by Little/She Is Love," and the number-one "The Hindu Times." Heathen Chemistry topped the U.K. Albums Chart and went triple platinum there; it also reached number one in three additional countries and platinum in two more. In the U.S. it peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200. The tour followed its usual turbulent pattern, with Noel, Bell, and touring keyboardist Jay Darlington sustaining minor injuries in an Indianapolis car crash. Further trouble came when Liam and entourage members clashed in a Munich street incident; Liam suffered facial injuries and faced arrest while two security personnel required serious medical care.

Although Oasis started album six in late 2003, progress stalled repeatedly. Early sessions with electronica duo Death in Vegas were abandoned when the band deemed the songs insufficient. In January 2004 longtime drummer White departed, succeeded by Who drummer and Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey. Songwriting again rotated among the Gallagher brothers, Archer, and Bell, and recording resumed late in 2004 at Los Angeles' Capitol Studios under producer Dave Sardy. During the process the band marked the tenth anniversary of Definitely Maybe with a DVD edition containing an hour-long documentary, a remixed "Sad Song," videos, and live footage; the reissue reached triple platinum in the U.K. A television documentary, There We Were, Now Here We Are...: The Making of Oasis, also celebrated the milestone. Finally released in May 2005, Don't Believe the Truth was hailed as the band's strongest work since (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. It became the sixth consecutive U.K. number-one album, earned triple-platinum status, and spawned two number-one singles, "Lyla" and "The Importance of Being Idle." In the U.S. it reached number 12 while "Lyla" entered the Top 20 of the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. The supporting tour spanned 26 countries and 113 dates; standout performances appeared in the 2007 film Lord Don't Slow Me Down. That year the band released the digital single of the same name, which charted at number ten in the U.K., and received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.

Oasis reunited with Sardy in August 2007, pausing several months later so Noel could spend time with his newborn. Sessions restarted in November and concluded in early 2008. That May Starkey exited, with former Icicle Works and La's drummer Chris Sharrock stepping in. Released in October, Dig Out Your Soul's hard-edged, psych-tinged rock drew warm reviews; it debuted at number one on the U.K. Albums Chart and went double platinum. Lead single "The Shock of the Lightning" reached number three in the U.K. The album opened at number five on the Billboard 200, Oasis' highest U.S. placement since Be Here Now. The extensive tour extended into mid-2009, and by August tensions between Liam and Noel peaked. Following canceled appearances at the V Festival and Rock en Seine, Noel announced his departure from the band on its website.

After Noel's exit, Liam, Bell, Archer, and Sharrock continued as Beady Eye, issuing their debut Different Gear, Still Speeding in early 2011. The group occasionally performed Oasis material, including "Wonderwall" at the 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony. Noel meanwhile launched Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds with former Oasis keyboardist Mike Rowe, Lemon Trees drummer Jeremy Stacey, and percussionist Lenny Castro. Their self-titled debut appeared in October 2011, topping the U.K. Albums Chart and eventually selling more than 2.5 million copies worldwide. Around the same period the Oasis singles anthology Time Flies... 1994–2009 became the band's final U.K. number-one album. In 2014 special editions of Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory? marked the twentieth anniversary of the debut; the deluxe Definitely Maybe arrived remastered with live and rare tracks, and a limited version added a cassette of Live Demonstration. The deluxe Morning Glory included B-sides, demos, and live recordings. By then Beady Eye had disbanded after 2013's BE. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds continued with 2015's Chasing Yesterday, while the Oasis reissue series added a deluxe Be Here Now featuring the Mustique demos. That year also brought the documentary Oasis: Supersonic, which won the 2017 NME Award for Best Music Film.

Both Gallaghers released albums in 2017: Liam's solo debut As You Were and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' David Holmes collaboration Who Built the Moon?, each reaching number one in the U.K. In May 2020 the Oasis demo "Don't Stop…" appeared digitally and charted at number 80 in the U.K. In 2021 the concert film Oasis Knebworth 1996 debuted footage from the two landmark shows; a double live album followed in November. As the brothers advanced their separate careers with Liam's 2022 release C'Mon You Know and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' 2023 album Council Skies, reunion prospects still appeared dim. Yet Liam and Noel confirmed Oasis would reunite for 2025 shows during the same week in August 2024 that the 30th-anniversary edition of Definitely Maybe arrived. The touring lineup featured the Gallagher brothers alongside Arthurs, a regular in Liam's backing band, and Archer, who had joined the High Flying Birds after Beady Eye's dissolution.